It was almost universally acknowledged that Perth outfit Tame Impala came into their own with the release of their sophomore effort Lonerism. On the 2012 release, writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker successfully blended the psychedelic sounds of the 60s and 70s with modern production and electronic influences to create a unique and captivating sound.
Their newly released third album, Currents is without a doubt the most individual and evocative record that Parker, the man behind the music, has yet produced. Apart from the familiarity of his Lennon-esque vocals, Currents represents an entirely new sonic journey for the band.
On Currents, Parker uses 80s pop and dance music as the foundations, creating a hazy, psychedelic world punctuated by slick pop melodies and infectious basslines. For a large part, rolling waves of synths replace the searing guitar of previous albums, with Parker explicitly stating that he wanted to distance himself from ‘Elephant’, the breakout hit of Lonerism. ‘Elephant’ was a guitar driven onslaught, reminiscent of Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple - the tune of Parker’s new magnum opus could hardly be further from those familiar sounds.
Songs like ‘Let It Happen’ with its blistering dance beat, ‘Yes I’m Changing’ based around rolling synth, and ‘Eventually’, a hazy 80s pop ballad with twists and turns, a killer bassline and a heart-wrenching chorus, all demonstrate the huge departure in sound and style shown on the album, albeit drastic, it is an entirely welcome change.
